TCU football notes: Little clarity at QB with only two spring practices remaining

TCU spring practice is winding down and the quarterback position remains a mystery, at least publicly.

Coach Gary Patterson maintains that Trevone Boykin is the No. 1 quarterback. That leaves redshirt sophomore Tyler Matthews two more practices, including Saturday’s spring finale, to make an impression.

By the time June rolls around, two prized recruits in Fort Worth All Saints’ Foster Sawyer and Decatur’s Grayson Muehlstein arrive. Their inclusion into the quarterback mix will only make the position murkier, but the competition should give co-offensive coordinators Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham a clearer picture of which direction to go.

In a perfect world, either Sawyer or Muehlstein will show the ability to step in and start as a true freshman. Perhaps both could share time, not unlike Cumbie’s former team at Texas Tech or Meacham’s former team at Oklahoma State. This would allow Boykin to move permanently to receiver where he excelled when Casey Pachall was healthy in 2013.

Never miss a local story.

Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.

Both Sawyer and Muehlstein have been regulars watching from the sidelines this spring.

Matthews, however, could still earn the starting job if neither Sawyer or Muehlstein is ready. Patterson estimated that Matthews completed about 17 of 20 passes during Saturday’s scrimmage.

“They all keep improving,” Patterson said. “Trevone creates a big problem in this pass offense being able to take off and run. He causes big problems.”

Matthews is a “decent” runner, Patterson said, but not like Trevone. Neither was former TCU quarterback Andy Dalton, he added.

“Andy wasn’t a great runner. He was an effective runner,” he said. “The key is to be effective. That’s all you’ve got to do.”

Spring ‘game’

The spring finale will be open to the public at 11 a.m. Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

TCU isn’t calling it a spring game and Patterson said the scrimmage won’t last long.

Fans should enter Gates 7 and 8 on the stadium’s east side. After the practice, TCU players will autograph complimentary team posters on the east concourse. The poster is the only item players will sign.

The first 1,000 TCU students will receive a free Chick-fil-A biscuit. The first 500 fans get TCU football t-shirts.

The ticket office near Gate 6 on the east side will be open from 10:30 a.m. through the conclusion of the autograph session to allow fans to renew their season tickets. Concession stands and TCU’s team store will be open.

Related stories from Fort Worth Star Telegram

Kids’ activities, including inflatables, games and face painting, will be set up in the northeast concourse area.

White out

Cornerback Kevin White did not practice Tuesday and will miss the final two practices Thursday and Saturday with an unspecified injury.

Small world

Gary Patterson’s middle son played for new TCU women’s basketball coach Raegan Pebley’s husband, Keith, when he was a high school football defensive coordinator in Logan, Utah.

The Pebleys moved to Fresno, Calif., when Raegan Pebley took the Fresno State job in April 2012.

Quotable

“We’ve got a long way to go before we can be where it’s just pure reaction. We’ve got [teams] that have been running it for 15 years, and we’ve been running it for 13 practices. We’re not running the ball as well as we need to and we need to be more efficient. Everything about this offense is about execution.” — Patterson on learning the new uptempo, fast-paced offense.